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I'm trying to find out from which branch of Droughts my great great grandfather Robert Drought came. I have quite a lot of info on him but can't be sure of his origins. Was in the Royal Irish Constabulary from 1866-1872 and resigned May 26, 1872 to emigrate to America. He married Maria Fanning in Kanturk, Cork, Ireland, in 1872 and both emigrated.  All of his documents in the US list his DOB as April 26, 1850, but I believe it's actually April 26, 1846 as this year matches his RIC record. If so, he was born to a Robert and Jane Drought and baptized in Roscrea (Church of Ireland.)  It's possible that his father Robert was also in the RIC and served in Limerick but is from Kings/Offaly. I'm posting in Aghancon because his father may be the Robert Drought on an 1821 census for Ballybritt/Aghancon.

Any ideas most welcome!

Thanks,

Claudia

Claudean

Tuesday 12th Feb 2019, 10:03PM

Message Board Replies

  • Hi Claudia . . . 

    Welcome to Ireland Reaching Out . . . and the Town of Roscrea.

    I am just fresh from researching another " Drought " of Aghencon . . . see below my reply to a request to our Message Board . . dated Jan.31st.2019 . . . 

    https://www.irelandxo.com/ireland-xo/message-board/william-drought-rosc…

    At this moment . . . NOT having yet begun . . a search for your Robert . . . I cannot say whether these families are related . . . but . . it is most likely that they are one and the same Drought group of families . . who all farmed in the shadow of "Leap Castle " . . . 

    I will now begin a search for your Robert . . . and will get back to you . . . soon.

    Cheers . . . E.M.H.

    Eamonn M. Horan, Volunteer Ireland Reaching Out ☘️

    Wednesday 13th Feb 2019, 12:23PM
  •  Claudia . . . 

    Some of the findings I found re.your Robert . . (see below)

    Birth Cert.... confirming 26th Apr.1846 . . . as you had . . . Mother "Jane" ..Father "Robert" . . . (see below)

    C.of Ireland .. Roscrea (St.Cronan's) . . . this being the major Church . .. for the outlying rural country districts . . . 

    stretching into Co.Offaly ( a.k.a. Kings Co.) . . incl Killavilla - Ballybritt - Aughincon (Aghincon)  etc. . . 

    Census 1821 . . . http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/search/results.jsp?census_year=18…

    Robt. b. 1804 . . Ballybritt

    Robt. b. 1788 . . Ballybritt

    Robt. b.  1751 . . .  Ballybritt

     

    Wedding . . . 1872 Kanturk . . . to Maria Fanning . . . 

    Royal Irish Constab.. . . connections . . . (see below)

    1858 Sergeant Robt.Drought . . . serving and being paid out of Roscrea ( note spelling - Rosenea - most likely incorrect)

    ________________________________________________________________

    The prior Drought query . . . came in from Australia . . just 10 days apart . . . are we going to connect two branches of the same family . . . U.S.A. and Australia   ??? . . . 

    On the same 1821 Census . . . I find .  . .

    William --  b. 1785 (36). . . b.1782 (39) . . . b.1812 (9) ..  .b.1821 (4) . . b.1821 (Inf) . . .also all in Ballybritt.

    ___________________________________________________________________________

    Again . . . . Leap Castle ( Google that ) . . . Drought Car Sales Roscrea ( Google that ) . . . . Owain & Richard

    ____________________________________________________

    Hope this adds to the sum of knowledge . . . and is helpful

    Cheers . . . E.M.H.

     

    Eamonn M. Horan, Volunteer Ireland Reaching Out ☘️

    Thursday 14th Feb 2019, 01:00PM
  • Eamonn,

    Thanks very much for all of the information! I wouldn't be surprised if there were an Aussie connection - I've seen a couple matches from DNA sites, so perhaps this is the link.

    I''ll review what you've sent. May I contact you again if I have any questions?

    Regards,

    Claudia

     

    Claudean

    Friday 15th Feb 2019, 08:42PM
  • Hi Claudia . . . 

    Glad to be of help . . .anytime . . .   if I can . . .

    In the past week . . I have made a local Drought family aware . . of your search .  . . 

    So . . here's some more info. . . . there is a " Tax Roll " known as " Tithes Applotment " (1823 -1837)

    there are some 90 Droughts listed . . within a 8 mile radius of Leap Castle . . . how to seperate them . . that the problem.

    Also . . . there is a fair degree of duplication of names . . . 

    http://titheapplotmentbooks.nationalarchives.ie/search/tab/results.jsp?…

    _________________________________________________________________

    And more  . . . another Tax Roll . . . " Griffiths Valuation " (1848 - 1864 ) . . . showing lots of Robert Droughts

    https://www.failteromhat.com/griffiths/offaly/aghancon.php

    +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

    And . . . a few " Williams " as well . . . . 

    ___________________________________________

    So much info. for you to take in  . . . but . . best of good luck with your continued search . . . 

    Cheers . . . Eamonn.

    Eamonn M. Horan, Volunteer Ireland Reaching Out ☘️

    Saturday 16th Feb 2019, 12:21PM
  • Hi, The marriage record says..........
    married 23rd May father of Robert is Robert and is a farmer.
    Maria Fanning was stated as Maria Brophy a widow and has her father as Edward.
    this is the record
    https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/marriage_re…
    I cant find her first marriage record, but did see a marriage in Dublin in 1866 with Edward as Maria's father. 
    this is in 
    www.familysearch.org

    Marriage to a Charles Brophy

    Then a death in
    https://www.irishgenealogy.ie/en/

    Says ..........he died in Carlow in 1867. You would have to purchase this record to cinfirm.
    Margot

     

     

    Margot

    Sunday 17th Feb 2019, 02:17PM
  • Margot,

    Thanks very much for the information. Sorting out the Fannings is as difficult as the Droughts! The stories are what intrigues me - so difficult for Marie to lose her husband after only a year. Marrying Robert Drought and emigrating to New York must have been an opportunity for a fresh start for her.

    Regards,

    Claudia

    Claudean

    Thursday 21st Feb 2019, 09:33PM
  • My grandfather's maternal grandfather was William Drought (sometimes written as Drout) b abt 1831 in Birr, or Roscrea, Kings County/Offaly, Ireland.

    He arrived on the ship, the Emperor,  in Sydney, Australia in 1851. 

    He came via Canada or America, so the story goes, after visiting relatives there.

    He married Mary Elizabeth Kilpatrick at Merton, Victoria in 1861 and they went on to have 10 children.

    According to his death certificate, his parents were John Drought and Catherine (?).

    William's granddaughter and my great Aunt, writes that her mother, William's second daughter, was given by him a set of silver duelling pistols and that upon communicating with a lady in Canada, who was also a  Drought, was told by this lady that she was also given a set of silver duelling pistols. There must be a story in this.....

    William was 20 when he arrived in Australia and the story goes that he wore a locket with a tiny painting of Miss Georgina Parsons; the daughter of the Earl of Rosse, Birr Castle.  Perhaps he had to leave Ireland!

    He had called his family together in 1891, he said, to tell them his story; however, he died when a horse reared and upended his buggy whilst he was showing horses to buyers before he could tell them.  Thus they were never to know. 

     

    Tuesday 18th Feb 2020, 01:56AM

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